Is Gelsons the brilliant winger that Arsenal need?

Arsene Wenger had a long history at Arsenal of buying and nurturing 100s of attacking central midfielders and using them on the wing as training for a role in the middle in the future. I would say the only out and out winger the Gunners have had in the last few years was Theo Walcott, and even he wanted to play in the centre! And we all know how that worked out…

So now that Unai Emery is the man in charge hopefully all this chopping and changing positions will stop and we will be in dire need of a proper winger to provide quality crosses for PEA. Today it is being reported that we are keen on bringing in the Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins who has a £52.7m release clause in his current contract that runs to 2022.

That is not such a bad price for him considering he is only 23 and still has room for improvement, despite scoring 13 goals and providing 13 assists for Sporting this season. It would probably be a good idea to get a deal in place before the World Cup, as Gelson will be playing alongside Ronaldo and Bernardo Silva and will be one of the favourites to go a long way in the elite competition. A good showing and Gelson could easily be taken out of our reach…

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64 Comments

    1. I would prefer Dembele to be purchased or get another winger that is not as expensive as him

      I hope they can get Denis Suarez as well

  1. Watch his performance against Barcelona (in my opinion, not too impressive):

    youtube.com/watch?v=SYLPeOoxXkY

    He is a good right-footed winger, but we already have many right-footed attackers that can play in the wings (such as Nelson, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Lacazette and Welbeck). For a right-footed winger, I think Adama Traore is more explosive, faster and braver in taking on defenders

    Arsenal are lacking a pacy and skillful left-footed right winger. I hope they can get Bale, Bailey, Malcom, Janujaz or Draxler

    1. We don’t have wingers that’s why iwobi or Ozil play on the right wing and welbeck or mkhi play on the left wing and none of them can dribble or cross properly! As for Lacazette and aubameyung being wingers that must be a joke I mean Mustafi can play on the right wing but it don’t mean he will beat players and cross properly! Dembele is the best option then leon Bailey but one cost £130mil and the other £66mil so gelson martins is more realistic at £52mil but the main thing is getting a actual winger instead of playing no.10s and strikers wide! There’s a pool of talent out there that we don’t know about who are true wingers just look at Bergwijn he’s an unknown talent that can dribble with pace, shoot and cross etc at £7.2mil he’s young and cheap! Raheem Sterling is Man City’s most dangerous player Salah is Liverpool’s most important player so we need one! No more players out of position and no more paving over cracks please

    2. Gelson Martins won’t give you goals and is not the kind of player you’d want to have starting if you really want to challenge for things.He’s not reliable in front of goal and is just a decent dribbler. We might as well sign Bernard for free if that’s what we are looking at.This would really be an underwhelming signing tbh.I hope we don’t sign him because there’s loads of cheaper players who offer what he brings to the table.Not good enough.

      1. I like Bernard I think he has the technical base to play for Arsenal and for free I’d do it with out hesitation! He is a no.10 type tho

  2. Y’all slating iwobi calling him names and labelling him talentless…hope y’all saw him play against England today? at least y’all would have seen the lad ain’t as bad as y’all paint him to be…Wenger has been largely responsible for most arsenal’s players’ lack of improvement… take it or leave it…

    1. I suspect Iwobi was often asked to hog the ball in the middle for Wenger’s strategy, instead of using his physical and technical abilities on the sides

      1. Come on guys, can we stop the Iwobi circle-jerk! The lad is bang average at best, yesterday was a fluke performance just like his goal am absolutely sure we will not see that from him in an Arsenal shirt.

      1. Sue,
        I. Know your views on Iwobi, but what did you think of his performance against England?
        I’m still in Canada, so haven’t seen the game.
        In my opinion the manager should assess all our players before letting anyone go, and we still haven’t signed anyone!
        What’s going on?

        1. Hi Ken… I didn’t see all the match, had a 60th Birthday meal to attend. I just knew he’d score!! ? I do agree with you about assessing all the players, you never know he might be completely different under Emery & then I’d be his number 1 fan ?
          This waiting for new players to be unveiled is driving me nuts!! Will we? Won’t we? I don’t believe half of what I read… I really do hope we buy someone soon.. somebody decent though!
          It’s the legends match with Real Madrid tomorrow.. not sure what time it’ll be on where you are though ?
          How is Canada? Hope you’re having a great time (with your Arsene t shirt ?)

          1. Sue,
            Mobbed everywhere I go!!!
            Phil would never believe it!
            Legends game is not over herein TV and I’ve still got 14 days left before I can come home!!
            Still, I am enjoying it, Canada is a great place to stay ?

                1. Hi Ken, Sue and all, the RM v ARS legends game is live from Bernabeu on Arsenal.com for free. Kick off 6pm UK time. Enjoy some proper players. Bob Pies, Freddie, even Sol is playing.

            1. Haha I can just imagine it.. people queuing up for a selfie with you in your t shirt ?
              Wow you’ve been over there for a while… enjoy the rest of it & you never know, by the time you come back, we may actually have signed someone ?

              1. Sue -If it keeps THAT T-SHIRT out of the country then let’s hope Ken stays over there.The last thing we want is those T-Shirts to actually become a Cult and Everyone starts wearing them.I honestly don’t think I could stand it.

                  1. Phil,
                    They are already a cult, a!omg with my Dennis Berkamp shirt 70/71 double shirt and my 22years shirt.
                    I resent your hope/wish that I stay over here Phil,it was only last week you were warning me about deportation!
                    Declan
                    Thanks for the tip, will try it immediately.
                    Sue,???????

    2. Amazing how Nigerians always praise their own countrymen, irrespective of whether or hot they have talent. IWOBI IS A PRIME EXAMPLE.

  3. For that amount , I would take Riyadh Mahrez. Maybe Cash plus welbeck or iwobi ….. That would transform our attack into the elites

  4. Dembele on Loan with view to permant transfer next summer is cheapest & best bet. His connection with Auba & Sven, Rauls connections with Barca & Greizzman coming in to play alongside new signing also in Phil Coutinho, Suarez & Messi, it makes sense for all parties as next summer we could start paying the full fee like the Mbappe situation!

    1. I hope you are right. Apparently Aubameyang posted a like on Robbie’s Transfer Daily on Arsenal Fan TV regarding a potential move for Dembele to Arsenal.

    1. Those three would be perfect-I would add an experienced CB and a top drawer GK and see where we go from there

  5. Aubameyang
    Dembele Ozil Mhikitarian
    Ramsey (c) Ndidi
    Nacho Soyuncu Sokratis Bellerin
    Leno

    Subs;
    Cech
    Mavropanas
    Chambers
    Leichsteiner (Free from Juve??)
    Kolasnic
    Xhaka
    Carvalho (Free from sporting??)
    Maitland Niles
    Lacazette
    Reiss Nelson
    Eddie Nkeitah

    (Soyuncu 35m, Ndidi 30m, Sokratis 16m, Dembele LoanFee 15m = 100m on Average, take away below fees etc…);

    Jack Wilshere – Gone
    Ospina – Gone
    Jenko – Gone
    Welbz – Gone
    Mustafi – Gone
    Campbell – Gone

    Should gather up at least 30m & save wages!

        1. If we don’t get dembele then we ha e to spend big on a similar player Bailey etc but will arsenal do that? Also Torreira looks like an easy £22mil purchase but again are we in for him? Lichtsteiner, soyuncu n Sokretis look likely and were linked with barca keeper Cillessen for £8.1 aswell! But if we don’t get dembele or Torreira then it’s all for nothing bcoz there the players that make us more dangerous! I don’t mind Bailey and nzonzi as long as we get a DM n Winger of quality! One player in really excited about is Yacine Adli and until he’s signed I’m not gonna be happy

    1. Im sure my opinion is in the minority here but I honestly hope that Ramsey rejects the latest contract offer and Arsenal sell him off during the balance of the window. With Ozils contract making him unsellable, there really isn’t a place for the Welshman in the starting 11 that doesn’t negatively imbalance the team. He isn’t a B2B midfielder and sadly Emery won’t be able to coach his selfish tendencies out of him. Ramsey is a good player but Arsenal will be a better, balanced side without him.

      Torreria would be my preference over both Ndidi and Carvalho. He reminds me of a poor man’s Marco Veratti. And I can’t see Big Willy leaving Sporting to be a bit player @ Arsenal.

      Socratis is an older Mustafi and brings nothing more to the table than what the Spaniard already provides. Lock Mustafi in a room for a week and make him watch video after video of Bonucci and Chiellini defending in there glory days @ Juve.

      IN:
      Seri—$35M
      Torreria… $25M
      Sonycu or J. Tah–$35M
      Rico–$18M
      Dembele–($10M loan)
      Leichsteiner–free

      $123M spent

      Out:
      Ramsey—$40M
      Xhaka—$25M
      Welbeck—$15M
      Ospina–$5M

      $85M recouped, apprx $48 spent in window.

      Auba (Laca)
      Dembele…Ozil…Miki
      Torreria…Seri
      Nacho…Tah(Sonycu)…Mustafi..HB
      Rico

      Bench: Laca, Perez, Iwobi, Saed, Chambers, Mavro,
      El Neny, AMN, Holding, Boss, Cech, Nkietah

      loan out Nelson and Holding if Boss returns to fitness

      1. Couldn’t agree more …and love the look of your first 11 .. my only worry would be Monreal … He’s clearly passed his sell by date now and there isn’t serious competition

  6. On iwobi loving watching him tonight abd him whipping up the fans too bring a bit of that.
    It’s like the players at Arsenal were in fear of speaking up to Wenger or expressing themselves.
    I hope Emery is watching I think he will be.l

  7. Can’t for a minute work out why dembele would come to us even if it is a loan.
    If Mislintat and Rauhl pull this one of due to the dortmumd connection and more recently barca with sanheli then they really are earning their money.

    I suppose as well Barca want griezman so it would help fund that but at the same time were not a direct threat to barca in anyway.
    On iwobi again it made me laugh when the plank Glen Hoddle got asked for the man of the match.
    Why would he automatically just pick amongst the English? Surely that would be man of the England side! He ends up picking chill, sorry for me it was iwobi clearly.

  8. I think it’s fair to say I’m not Iwobi’s biggest fan so will always try to see the worst in him as he clearly is just not good enough for Arsenal.Full Stop.The game tonight was a different one altogether than playing in the pressure cooker of a World Cup.Lets see how he does in those games before we all start believing he is the second coming of Lionel Messi.

  9. he’s rubbish they say, he’s useless they say, as young as he is under a coach that got the team stagnated. People with pure hatred called him named and sorts of bad stuffs, but we all saw his performance against England today. We all know how he performs at his country under another coach but hatred wont let you admit he’s got massive potential. I know most of ya’ll with the whole bad and evil vibe towards him but I won’t start calling names.

    1. Thanks Hoyte. Does Southgate think he is going brute and bully himself to the world cup final. He must be on cheap drugs to believe he can achieve that without a player skills, vision and finesse. All I see in his team is height and athleticism.

    2. Please … Just like fans thought Joel Campbell was the next messi after a couple of decent performances for Costa Rica … Iwobi is a very average player with good feet … If we need money to bring in real quality then sell as part of needed clear out of the lost decaders if we don’t farm him out to brentford for a year and see what happens ..

  10. It’s a great time to be a gunners! who says we can not have both Gelson and Dembele? They are young, speedy and dribblers and I have a feeling we have not have proper wingers for some time now and AFC. I only wonder if Emery is flexible enough with his tactical lineup. Emery has one trait – works to improve players. so these guys could soon be doing things we thought impossible before they joined.

    I would like to see
    ———Lacazette-Aubameyang——–
    Dembele—–Ozil—Mkhitaryan—Gelson
    ——————Jorginho——————–
    —–Soyuncu —Sokratis—-Mavroponos—
    —————–Sergio Rico——————

  11. First and foremost, I am a Portuguese die hard Arsenal fan that lives in the US but doesn’t spend a season without going to the Emirates. I am also an admirer of Benfica, the rival club from Sporting where Gelson plays. Now the facts:
    1- I am starting with this one because this SHOULD BE OBVIOUS. William Carvalho is about to cancel his contract with Sporting and be available on a free transfer. Like him many others will do the same and some already did (Rui Patricio being the first). We should get him! I would be pissed if I see him signing for Everton because (mark my words) he will easily be in a top 6 team next season for 50M+. So step 1? get William
    2- Gelson is a good winger and talks are that he can also cancel his contract (long story short the president ordered the radical fans to attack the players). Is he worth 50M? no.. william is a much better player although completely different positions. Gelson is good.. very good in some days.. has potential to grow.. but not starting eleven good for Arsenal..
    3- Barcelona says Dembele is going nowhere.. to be honest guys look at how physical he can be.. is he premier league material? maybe.. a loan would be awesome.. splashing 85M not really..
    4- hope we go for a top central defender and for Oblak (he played for Benfica).. no need to spend 80M in the Napoli central defender.. buy Ruben Dias from Benfica.. 35M and we’d get him and he is very pysical and an amazing player.

  12. Gelson really a quick player but finishing poor, could get better, Bernard has good pace and is a better finisher, pavon of Boca, Dennis Saurez from Barca.
    Also, why not take Andre Gomez on loan, he needs a coach to hold his hands and lead him to the light, giving him a fresh start far from Barca, with the time he spent there being described as hell. He is really a talented player, good physical ability, tall, good technically, good enough pace and with proper coaching, I think could be moulded in a DM.

  13. No need to buy him because apparently all is now ok because Iwobi scored ???

    1. Vanpayslip or what ever ur name…. U ve been here criticizing IWOBI here and there…. But if u think that IWOBI is not good enough to be a squad player… I don’t know how u ll run a football club ,if u are a manager … Delusional fan

      1. Mate – if you seriously believe Iwobi is good enough for Arsenal Football Club then you seriously are accepting mediocrity for the Club.You and VCC see a far different player than most fans.Iwobi-A Central Midfielder of Attacking Midfielder.That is what VCC suggests is his best position.So if we realistically say Aubamayang and Lacazette are the strikers and Iwobi is NOT a wide player you are both suggesting he plays instead of ( present squad members) Ozil Ramsey Wilshere Xhaka AMN.

        Can I add Delusional is a very overused word on this site.Perhaps in your case it applies more than ever

      2. TJPAM or whatever your name is – if you think Iwobi is a good player then calling you delusional would be a compliment. Go see a doc

    2. lol, as usual fans get carried away after one performance. Against an average international side as well (sorry not sorry). Logic like this is why AW kept underperforming players in our lineups for multiple seasons. One decent performance and all of a sudden they are good enough.

  14. Everyone criticising Iwobi should know that he’s being played out of position week in week out by Wenger (but nobody has never mentioned this). Alex Iwobi isn’t a winger, he is a bloody Cmf or Amf.

    watched the Nigeria game yesterday, in the first half, he was being utilised as a Right winger. he was totally useless in the first half.
    in the second half, the Nigeria team coach moved him down to CmF and he bossed that Midfield and made Nigeria better in the second half (even scoring a good goal by running from Midfield and getting on the end a deflection or weak clear out [ can’t really remember] )

  15. Admin-I know this is something you probably would not be keen on doing but as there is such a divided opinion on the future merits of Alex Iwobi do you not feel a Poll would give us all an accurate assessment of exactly how the fan base feel about this player? As there are so many options open to how to progress with this player perhaps a category section to include

    1) Sell him
    2) Send him out on loan for a season to monitor his progress
    3) Keep him in the squad and see how he responds to a new Coach and tactical changes

    If I could start the Poll it would be a massive tick in Box One

  16. All you guys always keep complaining about Iwobi but thing he is far a better player compared to that weakling wilshere that is always looking for the ground on easy fouls, losing the ball and crying to the referee as our opponents score. Give Iwobi a one season chance to prove himself under a new manager that can allow him freedom forward rather than the sideways possession passing he has been accustomed to under Wenger. We need a great winger, DM, CB + Yacine Adli for the future atleast

  17. Iwobi is a far better player than many thinks, we have seen Iwobi wide and in the middle of the park, i for one thinks he is a better player in the middle of the park, strong, good technical skills and decent pace to drive forward.
    Many complain about his finishing or his final decision but that will come with more game time, i think he will become an important piece in the Emery revolution because the pressing game needs young mobile players with good technical ability and Iwobi fits that description perfectly.

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